Strawberry Soul EXTRA
by Mikael v'En Sandahrus
Summary: These are chapters, or portions of chapters, that I couldn't fit into the normal story. There is only ONE Exception - EXTRA 5, which takes place during the chapters after Chapter 9. This was *supposed* to be a normal chap, but disrupted the flow so I put it as its own thing. However, for continuity I will include it in the normal story. The rest can fit between any chapters!
1. SS EXTRA 1

"A boy?" Rokujo repeated, aghast.  
"Yes," Tamao said. She had managed to get a one-on-one with Rokujo after that day's council meet, just after Nagisa and Shizuma left.  
"And what did this boy do?"  
Tamao's gaze fell, her surety faltering. It didn't feel right to tell Rokujo about the "angel", but that boy gave her the creeps. No matter what Nagisa said, Tamao didn't like him. Period.  
"From what I could tell, he renewed the closeness between Nagisa and Shizuma, but that's not what's bothering me. He hasn't appeared since Nagisa-chan and the Etoile started this 'soulbond' thing, and..."  
Rokujo held a hand up, her expression flat. "Not another word." She stood up, straightened the paperwork on her desk, and said, "Take me back to that clearing. Now."

They saw him at the clearing, along with a stunningly beautiful, curvy woman of about nineteen. She had black hair tied in a ponytail, and all of her clothing was purple save for a large, pink ribbon tied around her waist. She had a card in her left hand, and was frowning at the boy, who, Tamao saw, was sitting on a log, arms crossed and also frowning.  
Rokujo stepped forward. "Excuse me."  
The boy looked up, and the pair turned to face Rokujo, who folded her arms and stated: "May I ask what you are doing here?"  
The girl gave her an appraising look, then turned back to the boy. "Guess we attracted someone's attention, after all." She sheathed the card down the front of her chest, still addressing the boy, "I'll keep an eye on those two. Don't overdo your mission, okay, Mike?"  
"Thanks." He muttered, and without another word, the girl tossed a gray ball, and vanished in a puff of smoke. The boy named Mike got up, brushed himself off, and turned to give a cold stare at Rokujo.  
Rokujo flinched, but stood her ground. "I asked you what you are-"  
"I heard you the first time," Mike interrupted, "And it's none of your business."  
"It is my business if you do not have permission from the Head Mistress to be here," Rokujo said coldly, "I'll ask again: What are you doing here? And who are you?"  
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he said, "It's impolite to ask for someone's identity without introducing yourself first. And I stand by what I said before: Why I'm here and what my purpose is does not concern you."  
"But it concerns Shizuma and Nagisa?!" Tamao exclaimed. She walked forward, next to Rokujo, and pointed an accusing finger at him. "What did you do to my best friend?! Hypnotize her?!"  
The boy blinked in surprise. "How do you...?" His face changed smoothly to stony blankness. "She told you."  
"She did!" she cried.  
"Then you have nothing to worry about. Their soulbond is a blessing, not an illusion."  
"You're not making any sense," Rokujo said.  
Again, he didn't answer quickly. Hands in his pockets, he stared at the ground for a moment, apparently thinking. Suddenly, he said, "If you know those two, then I have a favor to ask."  
Rokujo and Tamao stared. "A favor?"  
"Shizuma and Nagisa don't know all of what the soulbond entrails. Until they complete the bond, what they don't know will hurt them." He withdrew a white envelope from his pocket. "I'd like for you to deliver this to them the next time you see them."  
Tamao took the letter, perplexed. "But why-?" She looked back up, and the boy had...disappeared.

"It's so easy to spread gossip around the school," Sayashiki Momomi murmured.  
"Indeed," her girlfriend, Kenjou Kaname, agreed, "And with the school in such an uproar, it'll be impossible for Amane to secure the position of Etoile." She lathered her breasts, her eyes closed in deep thought. "Maybe this will give Tomori time to reconsider."  
Momomi laid herself on top of her lover, breasts rubbing together pleasurably. "Maybe so. Maybe not. We just need to wait and see." She kissed Kaname, reaching her hand inside her.  
"Yes," she whispered, "Wait and see."

"So, there is someone here who is tainted with darkness?" Sheena asked.  
"Yes." Michael said. He and Sheena were back in the clearing, protected by a dome of Spirit meant to redirect anyone who got within thirty feet of them. "I cannot tell who, but there is darkness here. It's that darkness that is the source of the school's dissent."  
"And you think it might interfere with the girls' soulbond?"  
Michael closed his eyes, his hands balling into fists. "I don't think it will. I KNOW it will." His eyes snapped open, pupils shrinking until they disappeared, his eyes a radiant, whirling brown and glowing with power in the natural darkness of the night. "And it needs to be stopped."  
Sheena sighed, "Okay, your call. But try not to draw more attention to yourself." She stood up. "And try to keep your power under control. If you don't, you might have another Outburst, and that's the last thing we need."  
He gazed at her. "Come to think of it, why did you offer to help me with this mission?"  
Sheena smiled, wrapping her arms around him. "I want to help, that's all. Is that wrong?"  
Michael's hands relaxed, and he smiled too. "No, not at all." He extricated himself from her. "I must go. I can feel the first thread being forged." He gave her a quick kiss, then stepped back and got on one knee.  
In a flash of light, he was gone.


	2. SS EXTRA 2

"Make sure you're not seen until tomorrow morning. If Nagisa wants to talk, speak quietly." Michael finished giving the instructions to Sheena, along with a black robe and hood. "And wear these tonight while escorting her. "  
He watched, unashamed, as Sheena donned the robes. When she finished, the lavender glow around them winked out. They gave a last hug and kiss, and then Sheena's hands and eyes glowed with Spirit for a moment before she completely disappeared.  
After checking to make sure she made it inside safely, Michael looked skyward, and sighed. The moon was full, and very beautiful. The clearing around him was calm, serene, with the fresh scent of nature teasing his nose and a gentle breeze rippling the grass.  
Suddenly, Michael's body gave a sharp jerk, his pupils dilating. His entire body seized up, and Michael fell to his knees, clawing at his chest. 'Oh, Gods, not another one...' Quickly he summoned his power, releasing a powerful, mile high pillar of seven-fold weaves around him to prevent his energy from spilling over.  
His action was a painful mistake.  
White-hot knives of pain tore through his body, preventing him from standing up. His breathing became ragged, deep and uneven as his body violently convulsed again and again. All too soon for his liking, magic began to surround his form, appearing as blue-white crackles of electricity. A blanket-like mist of magic swirled around his form soon after, and the lightning emanating from him grew sharper, more violent.  
Suddenly, he shot his gaze upward, and he roared a howl of anger and pain as his body launched a massive, blue-white lightning bolt to the heavens. Shockwave after massive shockwave poured out from his shining form, colliding and slamming brutally into the magic barriers he created.  
And then, just four seconds after it started, it weakened and then stopped.  
He was kneeling in a deep, relatively small but impressive crater that was once a flowery clearing. He gave a wracking heave, then fell onto the unforgiving ground, unconscious.  
The magic barrier he made shined brightly, and then rushed into his motionless form.  
A shadowy figure made it to the edge of the crater, staring at the body within. Two bells gleamed in the moonlight as the girl walked to the center. Red hair, tied in two long ponytails, fell to the ground as she examined Michael's unconscious form. Her eyes, one green and one blue, swept over him.  
She sighed. "Michael...really, you should be more careful." Magic gathered around her. Gold Love and green Earth swirled around him, before sinking into his skin. Light, soft weaves of Spirit followed, and Michael's face relaxed. Another weave of Earth and Love, and he was fast asleep.  
With a strength greater than her appearance would suggest, she gathered Michael in her arms. 'Sheena,' she sent a curt call, 'He's out again.'  
'Another Outburst?' Resign and concern colored Sheena's reply.  
'Yes...I healed him as best as I could, but he needs time to recover.' She hesitated. 'Should I leave him here, or take him with me?'  
There was a pause. 'Leave him here. He is determined to find the root of the dark power and stop it. I may have something when he wakes.' A Spirit image of Sheena smiling accompanied her next thought, 'Why don't you stay here for a while, Asuna? At least until he wakes up?'  
Asuna thought it over, and smiled. 'Yeah, I'll stay. I'm curious about this new soulbond, too...'


	3. SS EXTRA 3

The moon shined on Michael's statue-like form as he examined the school grounds. The ocular power he copied from a family of ninjas scanned everything, missing nothing. When he finally finished, his eyes returned to their normal brown, and he once more sliced open his wrist. He summoned the glowing orb from his blood, but his examination of it was just as fruitless. His blood receded, and he gazed at the moon, suspicion wrapping around his mind.  
'I don't sense it anymore,' he thought to himself, 'But I know I detected it before. Where did it go...?'  
At last, a funny prickle on his right arm alerted him. He sighed, then created a six-fold dome around himself, at the same time arrowing a spear of light at a particularly dark shadow. His motion was lightning fast, his aim straight and true, but the shadow opened a hole in itself to avoid the blast of power. It then flowed like an oily void, more opaque than translucent, through the forest floor as it tried to find a weak spot in the barrier.  
It disappeared just as Michael threw a second spear of Light.  
"Show yourself, Nebilim!" Michael challenged.  
The oily darkness slithered in front of Michael, rose from the ground and began to take shape. It stretched and shifted, taking on human features. Muscular limbs, a frame of power, flowing hair untouched by gravity, and two weapons shaped like swords grasped in clenched fists appeared. The figure's face developed as well, a man's face with eyes like black wells flickering with red sparks, like the dying embers of a fire. The shadow of a mouth morphed in a devilish sneer.  
"Hello again, boy," the demonic form spoke in a low voice, raspy and filled with hatred so dark it almost caressed Michael with its potency, "Now is when you beg for my forgiveness." The mouth curled into an evil smile. "Not that you'll receive one."  
"Nebilim," Michael said coldly. Bright light flashed in his hands, creating two shining blades of six-fold magic. His entire body lit up with a silvery glow as his angel halo and wings materialized. "Before I defeat you for good, to whom did you tip your cursed power?"  
"That does not concern you, boy!" With a guttural roar, the smoky shadow of Nebilim rushed towards him, shadow blades slashing at incredible speed. Michael blocked both blows effortlessly with one blade, then summoned five spears of magic. The spears exploded a split second later against a gigantic meteor, which Nebilim launched at Michael next.  
Michael dodged the rock by a hair's breadth, whispering a hasty string of unintelligible words as he felt the shards of exploding rock slice his arm. Stars began to encircle Nebilim, who deformed into mist as a lightning bolt blew up the ground mere instants after he reappeared with death in his eyes. He fell back, tendrils of Azrahn swirling around him, and he spoke in the same language.  
Michael looked up to see a storm of asteroids pelt toward him. That instant of distraction gave Nebilim his chance, and he threw his shadow blade at Michael's chest.  
The blade sizzled and grew hazy, dissolving into formless mist as it touched Michael's body. He suddenly gave a blinding flash of light, and thrust both of his blades into the demon's black chest. Pouring power into his weave, he sent his life energy into the darkened soul, the guardian of life clashing with the lethal rage of death. Nebilim gave a howling roar of fury.  
"Now, tell me! Who did you curse, Nebilim?!" Michael cried, "TELL ME!"  
But before he finished his sentence, Nebilim's shadow began to fade, and his body dissolved into mist. A whisper of sound was heard from his deforming mouth, almost ridiculously garbling his reply.  
"The pair...you suspect most...has inherited...my...dark...po...wer..." Whisper and shadow faded together, and the night regained it's luminescent glow.  
Michael dissolved his light blades, then examined the battleground. Many a different tree or patch of ground was scorched, blown away or in ruin. In a flash, the magic dome disappeared and rushed into the surrounding fauna, restoring the clearing to its previous look.  
He sighed again, almost carelessly holding a hand over the deep footlong cut in his arm. Healing weaves flowed around and encased it, then sank into his skin. The wound healed instantly.  
"Dammit," he swore, "I was right all along. Kenjou and Kiyashiki are tainted with Shadow - the Shadow of the demon lord, no less..." His eyes opened, radiant and bright with tairen power and rage. "This will become...one hell of a battle. The others must be told."


	4. SS EXTRA 4

Michael looked around the crater, thinking hard. He hadn't trained for the past two weeks, and while the battle with Nebilim wasn't difficult, things could be tricky if another attack happened and he wasn't prepared.  
Sighing, he raised his hand and wove a five-fold weave around the crater. It was so large and so deep, it provided the perfect spot for him to resume his weekly combat training. High and higher the barrier rose, until it was exactly one hundred feet into the air. He tied off the weave with a wave of his hand.  
Then, he slammed his fist into the ground, releasing thick, ravenous flows of green Earth. Four dummies, enfused with Air and Earth, popped out of the ground like quick-growing weeds. Each dummy was the size of an average man, five feet ten inches, but underneath the rocky shell was pure diamond, hard and unyielding.  
Michael wove Earth and Air again, and began his training.  
One of the dummies launched itself at him, rock hand curled in a fist. He ducked the blow and slammed his own into the dummy's belly, launching it skyward. The other three surrounded him, and converged, only to slam into each other as he leapt into the sky with an Air-powered jump. He swung both arms in front of him, sending him into a spin just as he reached the first dummy. Coming out of the spin, he forced the first back down with a kick, then wove Air to quicken his descent and destroy all four dummies with a gravity-powered heel drop that fractured the ground beneath him.  
His Earth weave flashed again, and twenty dummies, this time made from wood, sprung from the ground, forming a circle around him, each equipped with a sword, axe or war hammer made of diamond. Another quick flash of Earth created the weapons he had earned from his soul-kin: two scimitars called meicha, one on each hip, and two sharp, powerful seyani longswords strapped to his back. And crossing his chest, in an X pattern, were eighteen throwing knives called Fey'cha, strapped to leather belts. One strap had knives with black silk, the other held knives with red.  
Three of the dummies jumped towards him, from the sides and rear, diamond swords and war hammers flashing in the bright sunlight. Quickly plucking a red Fey'cha from his harnass, he stabbed the left dummy in the head, and immediately cartwheel jumped over the dead dummy as the crystal hammer from the rear dummy slammed into the spot where he had been standing. He quickly threw two Fey'cha as he came out of his jump, deftly hitting both remaining dummies in the neck.  
All seventeen of the other dummies came at him, weapons brandished and shining. He entered into the lithe, flowing forms of the Cha'Baruk, the Dance of Knives, blocking each sword slash and axe swing with one of his own, lightly leaping out of the way of the brutal hammers, and throwing his knives with envious accuracy and blurring speed. Dummies fell by the second, and not once did a single sharp edge or heavy weight even touch his perfect, blazing form.  
As the last dummy fell, he wove power a sixth time, using all seven branches to create a glowing sphere of radiant light. The sphere began pulsing, and glowed with a white tint. He registered the color just as a powerful cyclone swirled underneath him. The force of the cyclone sent him hurtling into the sky, but swift weaves of Fire and Air along with a swing of his arms sent him into a corkscrew jump, sheathed in fire and sparks. He aimed himself straight at the glowing orb just as the cyclone spun him around, and he hurtled through the sky like a blinding, fiery meteor. He plowed through the orb, destroying it and drilling through the ground almost as quickly until his head hit the barrier he created.  
"OUCH!" He swore loudly, flew back through the twelve-foot hole he made, and closed it with yet another Earth weave. Rubbing the top of his head furiously, he eyed a familiar figure outside the barrier, doubled over and shaking. He released all of his weaves and removed the barrier to find Asuna standing nearby, hand on a tree and laughing.  
"Even with all those weaves, I could hear you swearing," she laughed, tears streaming from her eyes, "Next time, you might make the barrier a bit bigger so you don't give yourself a concussion!"  
"I did NOT get a concussion," he said irritably, though his irritation was melting fast, "The cyclone was just too powerful. I didn't think I'd move that fast."  
Asuna stood up, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "Well, you certainly have a roundabout way of training." She folded her arms, smiling warmly but with a strange glint in her eye. "Don't you think it'd be better if you trained with someone else?"  
Michael knew that look. Asuna was annoyed that he hadn't been giving her much attention since Nebilim's attack, and she was losing her patience. Again. "That's a good idea, but I have to train all of my skills, not just swordplay."  
"And I possess magic too, y'know," she said, the smile gone but the glint still in her eyes, "And Sheena does, too. So why not train with one of us?"  
His stony gaze faltered, and he looked down. "Because I don't want to hurt either of you, whether it be intentional or not."  
The pain and pressure in his head disappeared in a glow of gold-tinted white and green, and he looked up in time to see Asuna throw her arms around him, eyes glowing with both love and magic.  
"You don't have to worry about that," she said gently, "We can weave magic, too - and that includes healing magic. We're not bad at fighting, either. We can defend ourselves."  
"I know. I know, but-" his voice cut off as Asuna's certainty and love poured through the threads of their bond, melting away his worry and supplanting him with assurance. She was strong, quick to temper but gentle and understanding. She knew when and where the line was drawn, and she knew when to toe the line and when to cross it. Never more than she had to, never less.  
He smiled, and joined his lips to her in a tender kiss. At that moment, his tairen surged to life, growling with male aggressivness and roaring with the urge to dominate, but he clamped an iron-hard grip on it. His kiss deepened, then he withdrew himself from her arms before passion could spark.  
"Alright. Since you're this determined, you can train with me," Earth flashed at his words, changing Asuna's casual clothes to a feminine version of his warrior's leathers, Fey'cha belts strapped tightly across the chest, though both belts held black silk instead of red for her safety: she didn't possess the powerful blood magic he had, the invincible Life Aura. "But though this is training, I won't hold back my blows." He pulled out one meicha and one seyani, crouching into an attack stance. "Hit me with everything you've got!"  
Asuna grinned, both meicha clutched in each hand. "As you wish!" And with that, she lunged at Michael.


	5. SS EXTRA 5

Nagisa and her friends were all excited about the impending play, but two weeks after their last meeting, they were more interested in Halloween night. Professor Cates had decided to create an All Hallows Eve party, and was inviting the students to dress up for the night. They sat through their whole breakfast debating whether or not to dress up, and what they would go as.  
"So, you're really going to dress up, Nagisa-chan?" Tamao asked.  
"Yup," Nagisa replied happily, "I just need to figure out what my costume will be."  
Yaya turned to Hikari, curiosity plain on her face. "What will you be, Hikari-chan?"  
Hikari blushed, but responded, "I was thinking of going as an angel." When the others gave her looks of confusion, she quickly added, "I can't use magic like Nagisa and Shizuma, but there's a store in town that has beautiful costumes. I was thinking of going with Amane-sama to find one."  
"Why don't we all go? We can all choose our costumes there!" Nagisa said excitedly, but before she could elaborate, Michael sent her a Spirit weave, 'Actually, Nagisa-san, I would like to meet with you and Shizuma-san in the greenhouse as soon as you finish your meal. The others may come,' he added, 'but only if they wish. This is a double-sided mission.'  
'Double-sided?' she echoed, but before she could ask, she felt his presence disappear.  
"What is it?" Chiyo asked.  
Nagisa blinked, and said in a low voice, "Michael wants to meet with me and Shizuma in the greenhouses." She looked at them apologetically. "I'll catch up with you guys later!"

An hour later, Nagisa and Shizuma entered the greenhouse, wondering what Michael could want them for. He was back in his normal attire, and was waiting patiently with Sheena and Asuna at the table. Both of them had very curious outfits, Sheena in a strange garb of orange-brown clothing with a pink ribbon in her hair, and Asuna in a scarlet and purple dress with a fairly scooped neckline and two sashes across her chest, a crown of gold and dark ruby jewels glinting atop her head. Her hair was unbound instead of in ponytails, and lavender light surrounded one eye, which had turned green.  
"Great, you made it," he said briskly. He quickly wove a five-fold barrier around the greenhouse before continuing, "As I am sure you are aware, your Head Mistress is going to hold a party and costume contest tonight at nine thirty. I have decided to send Sheena and Asuna as guardians, and they will have costumes just like the rest of the faculty. I myself will be patrolling around the party, cloaked in invisibility."  
He hesitated, head cocked to one side as if the two were very sneaky, frowned, then continued, "It is my wish that you two take on one particular task. I want you two to keep a close eye on both your friends and the pair we talked about two weeks ago. As a bonus, I also want you two to attend the costume contest that will be held tonight. I already have two costumes selected for you." He waved his hand, and two complete costumes appeared on the table beside him.  
One costume was the slender, feminine form of a blue French military soldier's outfit, complete with a longsword and scabbard. The shoulders and hips were draped with a simple white cloth, and three gold stars were attached to the pocket above the right breast. A sigil with the words D. Jose and a deep ruby, cabochon gemstone were affixed to the middle of the three stars.  
The dress next to it was a two part outfit, the color a pure, unrelieved red, with frills on the cuffs and neckline and voluminous folds past the waist. One rose was fixed to the pocket above the left breast, and two more roses were placed just above the dress. A gold wristband, set with carvings of tairen and a beautiful ruby crystal, lay next to the cuff of the right arm.  
Nagisa's breath stalled as she regarded the two costumes. They were beautiful, but also very familiar. "These are the costumes for Don Jose and Carmen!"  
"That's exactly right, Nagisa," Michael said, smiling, "Shizuma told me of the play your council decided on, and I figured I would help feed the fire. The Tairen's Eyes are for tonight only, though," he added, "They are very powerful jewels, encasing the souls of two very dear friends of mine. Their magic will both strengthen your own and also help ward you against any dark magic that may happen tonight."  
Shizuma tore her eyes from her garb to stare at him. "You think Kiyashiki and Kaname will strike tonight?"  
"The possibility must be considered. As harmless as this party sounds, fear can serve to control the weak, even if it is just through fright and surprise, and Azrahn can be spun into a powerful compulsion weave that even one as powerful as myself can have difficulty resisting." He pinned them both with hard glares. "I want your word, however, that if you detect even the slightest hint of magic, you will report it directly to me, and act as if nothing is happening. Do I have your sworn oath?"  
Nagisa glanced at Shizuma nervously. "But-."  
"Do you promise to warn me if you sense magic?"  
"Yeah, but-."  
" _Your word, Nagisa-san._ "  
Her head drooped in defeat. "Yes, Michael-san."  
"Good. Take these" he waved his hand, and the outfits folded themselves neatly into small piles "and return to the school. Sheena will greet you at the entrance to the Le Lim Ballroom at eight o'clock tonight. Good luck."

Nagisa slid into her room, trying to look unnoticeable, and closed the door quickly. The moment she turned, though, she found herself face-to-face with Tamao, with Chiyo right behind her.  
"You're late, Nagisa-chan!" Tamao chided, a frown set on her face, "We were just about to leave!"  
"Sorry," Nagisa apologized, "Michael gave me and Shizuma costumes."  
"Oooh, what are they?" Chiyo asked.  
"Well…" She held out her costume, neatly folded, with the bracelet sitting on top. "I'm going as Carmen, and Shizuma-." But Tamao snatched her dress out of her hand, set aside the bracelet, and laid it out across her bed.  
"Wow, it's so beautiful!" she exclaimed, while Chiyo stared in awe, "Michael gave you this?" When Nagisa nodded, she asked excitedly, "Can Michael make costumes for us, too?!"  
But before she could reply, Yaya's voice sounded from behind, "Hey! What's the hold up?!" She opened the door and walked in, accompanied by Hikari and Tsubomi. "We've been waiting for-." Her voice cut off, and all three girls stared in surprise at the scarlet dress laid out on Tamao's bed.  
"Whoa. Is that yours, Tamao-chan?"  
"Nope," Tamao said, "It belongs to Nagisa! Michael gave her and Shizuma costumes!"  
Yaya stared hard at Nagisa. "No fair! Why'd he make costumes for you two and not the rest of us?!"  
"Uh…well…" She explained why he gave them the costumes, the mission he assigned them and the oath he made them swear. When she finished, all five of her friends were looking at her in shock.  
"Kiyashiki and Kaname are going, too?" Tsubomi said in disbelief.  
"Apparently."  
They all stood in silence for a brief moment, and then Yaya broke it. "Well, Amane-san and Asuna-san are waiting for us downstairs. C'mon."

The moment they stepped into the costume store, they split up and headed all over the shop. Asuna, back into her winter clothes, accompanied Tsubomi and Chiyo as they headed to the back where there were costume designs for second years, while Hikari and Amane visited the help desk to ask for custom outfits. Yaya made a beeline to a rack that contained a slightly revealing devil costume, and Tamao dragged Nagisa to the rack next to her so she could ask her opinion.  
"What do you think of this?" Tamao asked excitedly, holding up a maid costume with a frilly apron, blue waist-ribbon and matching blue gloves.  
Nagisa shook her head, smirking. The clothes reminded her of the apron and uniform Chiyo wore last year.  
"Well…" Tamao set the outfit on a nearby table and pulled another costume off the rack, this time a silvery robe with red and blue stars across the chest and arms.  
Nagisa enfolded her arms, frowning, but she couldn't visualize Tamao in such a simple getup. Her eyes lit up on a costume next to her shoulder, and she withdrew a pure white dress with a gold tiara and satin gloves. "How about this? You'd look beautiful in this dress!"  
Tamao gaped at the dress, but her face fell when she saw the price tag. "Oh, but its 4467 yen. That's kind of pricey…"  
"Don't worry! I'll pay for-!" But her voice cut off as she caught sight of another customer, a girl with long black hair and two red ribbons in her hair. She was staring intently at the costumes on the wall, and was scribbling on a notepad in her hand. "No, that wouldn't work. It would need less folds and a tighter corset…" she muttered audibly.  
"Chikaru-senpai!" Nagisa called.  
Chikaru straightened quickly and turned around, a smile on her face. "Nagisa-chan, Tamao-chan! It's great to see you!"  
"What're you doing here, Chikaru-senpai?"  
"I'm taking notes on the different costumes here," she said, holding out her notepad, which was full of models and notes, "so I can make some special costumes for the Cosplay Club. We've grown from three people to ten, but I haven't been able to find some new inspiration. I was thinking I might find some here."  
"Aw, but your costumes are always incredible!" Tamao said.  
"Thank you," Chikaru smiled warmly. Her eyes drifted to the back, where Asuna and Tsubomi were laughing at a fairy costume Chiyo was showing. "Who's that with Chiyo-chan and Tsubomi-san?"  
Nagisa looked over there too. "Kagurazaka Asuna. She's Sheena-san's best friend, and came with us to help choose our costumes."  
"Um, Nagisa-chan," Tamao whispered, poking her in the arm. When Nagisa looked inquiringly at her, she pointed at Chikaru, whose attention had suddenly shifted to the dressing rooms. The two followed her gaze, and their jaws dropped.  
Hikari was wearing a pearlescent gold dress with gold-threaded silver gloves, pure white slippers and a shining silver tiara on her head. Her shoulders were draped with a silver scarf, and on her neck rested a pearl necklace just below her soul crystal. She was blushing brightly, but looked happier than Nagisa had ever seen her.  
Holding her hand and smiling happily, Amane was dressed in a silver suit, with a gold emblem on her chest and two gold wristbands on her wrists. Her yellow scarf, a present from Hikari the previous year, was wrapped around her neck, and she had a gold and silver crown with yellow and green gemstones.  
"Magnificent," Tamao breathed in awe, "They look just like a prince and princess!"  
Nagisa heard a gasp, but not from Tamao. Then Chikaru said, "Those are mine."  
"What?" Nagisa asked.  
"Those designs. They're mine. I made them last year when trying to make celebratory outfits for Amane and Hikari, after they won the Etoile election." Her voice was growing stronger, but not with happiness. Nagisa saw a sudden, almost alarming change in Chikaru's face. Her eyes were narrowed, her mouth set in a frown, displeasure and anger simmering just below her surface calm. Before Nagisa or Tamao could do anything, Chikaru began to walk, in a very brisk fashion, towards the employee helping Hikari adjust her crown.  
"Excuse me!" she said without any hint of politeness, "Forgive my interruption, but where did these costumes come from?"  
"I saw them last year, Chikaru-san," Amane said, a tiny mixture of defiance and shame in her voice, "in the room you used for the Cosplay Club. I decided to take them with me, so that I might use them in the future." She bowed her head in remorse, not play-acting as if she were a prince, but a real bow of apology and regret. "I'm sorry for upsetting you. I should have asked your permission, first."  
The moment she finished talking, Chikaru's expression cleared up, and she hastily said, "No, it's my fault for not sharing it with you in the first place. I thought you two would look great in those clothes, but I never made them – or rather, never had the chance to make them," she amended. She smiled happily. "Still, at least we both got our wish." She turned to Hikari, whose blush had gotten much brighter. "And you both look wonderful!"  
"T-thank you, Chikaru-senpai," Hikari stammered.  
A throat cleared behind them, and Asuna had shown up with the others, all but her and Nagisa holding long transparent bags, each clearly showing off the costumes the others had chosen. "We're ready for check-out, I think?"  
"Yes!"  
Amane and Hikari changed back into their normal clothes, and the cashier rang up the price of each costume while jogging down the names of the buyers onto a separate list.  
"So, you'll really pay for everything, Nagisa-chan?" Tamao said.  
Nagisa nodded. "I meant it when I said that-."  
"The total is 30175 yen."  
All but Asuna stared at the cashier in complete surprise. "That's…" Nagisa felt complete shock.  
The cashier looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but the price for two customized costumes is 17500 yen."  
"Then I'll pay," Asuna said, stepping forward with a gold and green card in her hand. The others looked at her in surprise, but she merely winked and handed the cashier the card. "Where is the receipt?" She asked. When the cashier gave it to her for her to sign, she wrote her name and wove Spirit into the paper. She then held it out to the cashier, who deftly swiped the card and complete the purchase in a blur.  
"Thank you for shopping at our store today," the cashier said politely.  
" _Sha vel'mei_ ," Asuna replied in a foreign tongue. She smiled at the peculiar expression on the cashier's face, and then lead the small group back outside.  
Waiting until they were back within the school grounds to ask, Nagisa posed her question, "What did you do just then?"  
"I used Michael's account from America to pay for those costumes," Asuna replied with a smirk, "And gave the cashier the knowledge to translate and accept the United States dollars into Japanese yen." She cast a laughing-eyed look at Nagisa. "As the soulmate of a tairen, I've learned how to be mischievous and helpful at the same time." She laughed aloud at the wonder and curiosity on Nagisa's face.  
"But what was that language you used just then?" Tamao asked.  
"It's called Feyan," Asuna said, "And it's the language of the humans who evolved from the magical cats called tairen. Those cats were created by Adelis and Ratatosk to help bring their magic and angel powers into the world. The humans Ratatosk forged afterwards absorbed some of the tairen magic, and became the powerful warriors known as the Fey."  
"Is Michael Fey?"  
Asuna laughed again. "Nope. He doesn't have a drop of Fey blood in his ancestry. But he is a master manipulator of souls and life, much like Ratatosk. He absorbed a tairen's soul into his own, and used his own magic to bind with it and become a Tairen Soul. In a way, he's always been Fey, because the Fey are people who strive to serve the Light, to love and to protect those they love, as well as banish Darkness where it is conceived and hold fast against the calls of the Dark.  
"We're here!" she said suddenly. Sure enough, they had reached the gates of Astraea Hill.  
As they all headed back to their rooms, eager for tonight to come, Nagisa felt a thrill of anticipation, a mixture of slight fear and almost-giddy excitement.

'Are you ready, Nagisa?' Shizuma asked her question through their bondthread, instead of asking through the door. Nagisa fixed the last rose into its place on her dress just as the clock chimed eight.  
'Yes,' she replied.  
'Then step outside. I am also ready.'  
She opened the bathroom door, and faced Shizuma.  
Shizuma was looking splendid. Beautiful. The military outfit she wore enhanced her already appealing curves, yet gave her a look of almost royal refinement and crisp respect. Her hair was in a ponytail, and her right hand sat on the silver hilt of her sword, which had a faint green glow around it. The Tairen's Eye crystal was glowing with a soft, ruby light, and Nagisa could feel its power humming through Shizuma. Her soul crystal began to sparkle with answering blue light, and the two crystals grew warm to the touch, not warm like from a hot day but warm as though alive.  
Shizuma's eyes racked and scanned Nagisa so slowly, so hungrily that she felt a blush creep up on her cheeks. The roses in her hair accented its color, and the increase in her breast size was apparent in the top part of her dress. The scooped neckline gave way to bare shoulders and flowing sleeves of purest red. The lower part, just as deep in color, was flowing and gorgeous, reaching to just above her feet. The two pieces were split enough to reveal her bare belly and lower back without revealing too much skin, and hugged her in a perfect, but slightly firm grip. The Tairen's Eye on her wrist and her soul crystal began to grow warm as well, and she could feel the power of the ruby crystal flowing into her body, enhancing her senses and tightening her bond with Shizuma.  
"You are lovely, Nagisa," Shizuma said softly, both aloud and in Spirit. Her eyes began to glow with love and a quiet but growing hunger. "Lovelier than I have ever seen you."  
Nagisa's blush grew at the truthful compliment and at the need blossoming in her mind. "You look stunning as well, Shizuma." She managed to say. She gulped and forced down her passion before she spoke again. "It's time. Let's go." She opened the door and waited for Shizuma to follow her.  
They made their way to Le Lim's famed Ballroom, where they knew the party was being held. Many students gaped in awe at them as they passed; several wolf-whistled, others stared with hungry, jealous expressions at the crimson-clad girl holding Shizuma's arm. A few cheered at them, and with the Tairen's Eyes amplifying their powers, they could feel the emotions of all those around them: Envy, jealousy and contempt, but even greater reverence, respect and love.  
'They truly love us,' Nagisa whispered on a private weave of Spirit.  
'They do indeed,' Shizuma replied. She gave Nagisa a warm smile, tinted with the faintest amount of humor. 'Possibly because we're feeding their desires and their dreams of next month's play.'  
Nagisa laughed aloud, and then calmed herself in time to meet Sheena at the ballroom's entrance.  
Her garb was the same as before, but this time she also had a yellow bow around her waist, and a circlet of silver and Tairen's Eye crystals perched on top of her head.  
"You both look amazing!" she said, nodding at their costumes with bright interest and approval. "If there's any competition in the contest, it'd be from somebody with a greater imaginative mind than my truemate."  
Nagisa and Shizuma exchanged small smiles. Evidently Sheena did not know of Chikaru's excellent costume designing abilities. She would be sure to receive a shock when Amane and Hikari arrived.  
The ballroom, as it was, was filled with many students, all second year and higher, all with their own costumes, some familiar, others unique. Nagisa saw two fourth years clamoring for refreshments, their hair turned to pure silver, while they sported passable imitations of Miatre's fall uniform. She laughed and poked Shizuma on the shoulder, nodding in their direction. Other students were not so simple. Many were garbed in strange outfits, some just plain weird, while others were fairly obvious. A number of fifth and sixth year students were sporting suggestive costumes – much to the disgruntlement of the teachers nearby – and were giving Shizuma and Nagisa sloe-eyed looks of temptation. Two even came their way, white cloth barely concealing their figures, small bronze bells tinkling from their arms and legs.  
"Oh, what a handsome soldier you are, Shizuma-onee-sama," said the younger of the two, a blonde girl with blue eyes and a set of dazzling white teeth. She was physically beautiful, but Shizuma sensed a disturbing shadow in her touch as the girl's hand caressed her own.  
"And Nagisa-chan has never looked more beautiful," the older one agreed, a brown-haired beauty with green eyes slid her hands over Nagisa's shoulders with interest. One hand caressed her neck, reaching for her breast.  
It was quick, hot and instant. Shizuma's anger at their daring blossomed into fiery, lethal life, and her amber eyes flashed with fury. She moved so fast the other girls didn't even have time to react – one hand was slapping the blonde away while the other caught the brown hair in a bruising grip, away from Nagisa. Both girls were staring at her in surprise, but she hardly cared.  
"I don't want either of you laying a finger on my Nagisa ever again," Shizuma growled, and for the first time in a long while, her voice carried the tone of quiet but scorching, consuming rage. "Leave us alone, and don't you dare attempt such a thing on us again."  
Both girls nearly fell over in their attempts to obey their former Etoile, and by the time they reached their friends, they both had tears of fear welling up in their eyes.  
'Shizuma…' Nagisa called to her, trying to quell her fear at what she just experienced while also trying to help Shizuma disperse her anger, 'Please, relax. They were just playing with us.'  
Shizuma's fierce expression faded, and she gave Nagisa a pointed glance and a small apology. 'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt them.'  
'Then you should go over there and apologize to them, not me. You scared them so badly that they nearly cried, and they don't deserve that fear from their Etoile, even if she no longer holds that title. Besides,' she added gently, 'remember what Michael said about tonight?'  
Shizuma gave a curt nod, and led Nagisa to the group of students nearby, all giving Shizuma wide-eyed, fearful glances.  
"I apologize for my outburst," Shizuma said in calm, modulated tones, "I shouldn't have been so rude with you. But neither should you have laid hands on either me or my Cadet without our permission."  
'Shizuma…' Nagisa chided, but before she could say anymore the brown hair said shakily, "My sister and I are sorry for upsetting you, Etoile-sama. We won't do such a thing again."  
"See to it you do not," Shizuma replied, and then added with a sly grin, "And if you make such advances on anyone else, make sure neither the Head Mistress nor the other teachers are around to see."  
The flash of humor did exactly what Shizuma hoped it would; all of the girls relaxed and bowed their heads, saying, "Thank you, Etoile-sama."  
'How was that, Nagisa?' Shizuma asked later, after they had gone for refreshments.  
Nagisa took her time sipping her cherry-cranberry juice before replying, 'It's good that you apologized, but did you have to encourage them? What if one of the other teachers does catch them in the act?'  
Shizuma froze. 'I didn't mean it like that.'  
'Then what do you mean?' Shizuma's silence made Nagisa frown. She pulled Shizuma to a nearby couch, away from the dance floor, where many students had already begun dancing. 'Shizuma?' she prompted.  
'Nagisa…' her reply was grim, almost flat. She turned to give Nagisa her full attention.  
'What is it?'  
Shizuma hesitated again, unsure how to phrase what she feared. 'I think it's begun.'  
Nagisa stared at her, nonplussed. ''Begun?' What's begun?'  
'The soul hunger.'  
For a moment, everything stopped moving, stopped making noise, stopped doing anything. Nagisa's own heart skipped a beat, and her tongue came out to moisten suddenly parched lips. She quickly set her glass aside, grasped both of Shizuma hands and forced the question out of her numb mind. 'H-how can you be sure?'  
'I am sure.'  
'But how?'  
Shizuma sighed, turning her head to watch Professor Cates hand out orange tickets to random students. 'Earlier, when those girls were flirting with us, I felt a wild burst of anger. It's not like me, to get so angry, so quickly.' She turned back to Nagisa, sorrow darkening her amber eyes to a moody brown. 'And when I apologized to those girls, I said what was on my mind, more than I had intended to say. I merely meant to apologize and tell them to be more careful.'  
'But that's exactly what you did!'  
'No,' Shizuma shook her head, 'I did more than that. I gave them both a false sense of security and also the courage to continue their flirtations – and also, the idea of doing it where they won't be caught. Even if I'm not the official Etoile anymore, it's still my job as an elder student to condemn such acts, not condone them.'  
'And it's also your job to help younger students and to put them at ease when they're not happy,' Nagisa said mulishly, refusing to back down. She forced Shizuma to meet her gaze. 'Shizuma, if you still have doubts, I'll go straight to Michael and tell him what's going on. Maybe he'll know of a way to delay the soul hunger.' Her eyes suddenly blazed with both fierce love and steel determination. 'I won't let you lose. Not me, not your reputation, and definitely not your life.'  
Shizuma smiled, and pulled her close for a kiss. 'You've gotten so brave, Nagisa.' She stood, holding her hand out. "Would you like to dance with me?"  
Nagisa scowled, but before she could reply, Professor Cates appeared with two last tickets. "Finally, I found you!" She was wearing a black dress with tattered sleeves, horn-rimmed glasses and fake fangs. Red falsetto blood dribbled from the corners of her mouth. She gave the tickets to Shizuma. "Would you two like to join our costume contest tonight? I've already accepted Amane-san and Hikari-san, and I think you both look incredible." The last bit she added casually, but her eyes held a proud, almost calculating sparkle.  
Nagisa gave Shizuma a pointed look, and then replied, "Yes, ma'am! We'd love to join the contest!" She stood as well, holding Shizuma's arm. "And you look great too, Cates-sensei!"  
Professor Cates smiled, revealing a second set of fangs that seemed so real, Nagisa actually felt a tiny flutter of fear. "Thank you for the compliment, Nagisa-san. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go find the other teachers."  
As soon as she left, Nagisa heard a growl behind her. She gave a huge jump and quickly darted behind Shizuma, only to find a rather small, furry werewolf with green hair and glasses. The werewolf laughed, and pulled off her mask.  
"Gotcha, Nagisa-chan!" Remon said playfully.  
"J-jeez, Remon-chan, don't startle me like that!" Nagisa said weakly.  
For the second time that night, Shizuma felt a blast of red hot anger, burning and unstable. She narrowed her eyes and shifted her body so that Nagisa was safely out of sight. "Perhaps you could find another victim to terrorize, Remon-san?" she said, with enough venom to make Remon rear back in alarm, "Nagisa has already been messed with enough tonight."  
"I-I'm sorry, Etoile-sama," Remon rushed to apologize, "And to you, Nagisa-onee-sama. I shouldn't have scared you like that."  
"It's okay," Nagisa replied, with a narrow glance at Shizuma. "I am still kinda scared of ghosts and monsters. And you look like a convincing werewolf!" She added with a smile.  
Remon smiled back nervously, "Thank you. Um, I gotta go find Chikaru-senpai. I'll see you later!" She slipped her mask back on and dashed away.  
Nagisa waited until she was back in the dancing crowd, and then rounded on Shizuma, 'You did it again.'  
For the first time, Shizuma held a look of embarrassment. 'I'm sorry.'  
'I'm contacting Michael. Maybe he can help.' She closed her eyes and tried to spin her message into a Spirit weave, but Shizuma grasped her hand.  
'Nagisa, wait. There's no need for you to tell him. Not yet.'  
'Why not?!' she retorted, glaring at Shizuma.  
'I will try to contain myself tonight. Please,' she added, 'for your sake, I really will try to hold my temper.'  
Nagisa gave her one last look, and then nodded. 'Okay. But if you have any more outbursts like that, I'm finding Michael and telling him.'  
'Thank you.' Shizuma held out her hand, and together they made their way onto the dance floor.

"Look at her, parading that red girl around like a peacock," Kaname muttered contemptuously. She and Momomi were dressed in black and blood-colored versions of their costume from last year's play, and both were off to one side of the dance floor, completely unnoticed as they watched the former Etoile and her new Cadet dance to the eerie, soft music playing from the front.  
"Tonight, she will bear our next Mark," Momomi whispered.  
"Yes," Kaname agreed, "They will become ours. And then," she added with a dark smile, "we go for Amane."

"Alright, everyone, may I have your attention, please?" Professor Cates called into a microphone onstage. She waited until the room had quieted down, and then. "In just a moment, we will begin the costume contest. There will be four categories: Best Couple, Best Costume, Most Unique, and Overall Best.  
"The final category will be selected after the first three have been satisfied. Those of you who have orange tickets, please come onstage."  
"It's time, Nagisa," Shizuma said softly.  
Nagisa nodded, and together they proceeded up the stage. They passed Professor Cates as she spoke again, "Once all of the contestants are up here, I will call them one by one to the front. As they move up, please take careful note of each one. When the last student has presented herself, I want you to head to the back" she pointed at the back wall, where forty voting booths had been placed "and vote for your favorite person, in your selected category."  
"First up," she called out, holding her hand aloft, "is Le Lim's Natsume Remon in her werewolf costume!"  
Remon walked to the fore, arms held out, and when the light shone on her, she raised them higher and gave a loud growl. The students nearest her laughed and applauded her in delight.  
"Next up," Professor Cates called as Remon returned, "is our new Etoile, Ootori Amane and Konohana Hikari, as the prince and princess of Spica!"  
A positive explosion of cheers came from the crowd as Amane and Hikari came forward. Hikari was holding Amane's arm very tightly, and both girls were blushing at such a welcome. Nagisa saw that, in the spotlight, their crowns and garbs gave off a brilliant shine.  
"Our next contestant," Professor Cates cried over the cheering, "is Spica's own Nanto Yaya, in her devil's costume!"  
Yaya walked forward with one hand on her hip, her devil costume attracting a lot of appreciative whooping and cheering from many Spicans, and even a number of Miatre and Le Lim students applauded her. She gave a siren's smile, winked, and returned to the line.  
"Our next couple," Professor Cates said, with a greater aura of excitement than earlier, "is the former Etoile, Hanazono Shizuma, and her new Cadet, Aoi Nagisa, as the gypsy Carmen and her lover, Don Jose!"  
Nagisa and Shizuma stepped forward, and the second the spotlight hit them, a great, very noisy roar came from the whole crowd, as raucous and excited at the cheer given to Amane and Hikari. The outstanding support the students – coupled with great embarrassment – gave Nagisa a very bright blush. She gripped Shizuma's arm more tightly while Shizuma waved appreciatively at the students, earning an even greater roar of sound and another round of applause.  
"Alright, settle down, settle down," Professor Cates cried, but she barely made herself heard over the din. She beckoned for Shizuma and Nagisa to rejoin her quickly, and they picked up the hint easily.  
"Next up," she said as they returned, "also of Le Lim, Minamoto Chikaru, as Queen Cleopatra!"  
'That was quite a surprise, wasn't it?' Shizuma remarked dryly to Nagisa, using their bondthread to speak, while Chikaru went to the front to show off her new Egyptian Queen costume, which drew a lot of cheering from the Le Lim students. Her Spirit tone was almost thick with amusement and pride, and more than a hint of satisfaction. 'I thought they'd just cheer for me, but apparently they remembered your performance last year as well.'  
'It seems so,' Nagisa said. She gave Shizuma a quick glance and smiled.  
"And finally," Professor Cates said after another minute of contestants, "I introduce Spica's Kiyashiki Momomi and Kenjou Kaname, as Don Jose's fiancée Micaela and his superior!"  
Nagisa stared at them. Their clothes were just like the costume for Micaela and Don Jose's superior from last year's play, only they were black and a disturbing shade of red. Kaname even had a longsword strapped to her belt. Momomi was holding her arm in much the same way Nagisa held Shizuma's arm, and both girls were leering at the crowd, who cheered them nonetheless.  
"Now that you have had a chance to see each of the contestants individually, I'd like for you to choose who you think fits each category." Professor Cates nodded to Sheena and the other assembled teachers. "If you could all please head to the back," she finished, "It's time to vote."  
She set the microphone down and clapped her hands, so that the row of students onstage all received an equal amount of light. Nagisa eyed Tamao and the others nervously as they noisily made their way to the back. Many students kept looking to the front, speaking behind their hands, wondering who to pick, and for what. A few, Chiyo and Tsubomi among them, waved at the people up front. As each student finished voting, they slipped their paper into the boxes held by each teacher.  
"Okay," Professor Cates called out, when the last student had submitted her vote, "Everyone, please relax and enjoy yourselves while the votes are tallied." At that, all but Sheena and Asuna left the room to count the votes.

"Now what?" Nagisa asked Shizuma as they headed back to the dance floor.  
"Now, I would like to ask you a favor, Etoile-sama," said a voice behind them. The two turned around to see Kaname. She was holding her scabbard in a casual manner, and her eyes were narrowed. "I would like to…ah…re-enact a scene from Carmen last year, if you would like to help me."  
"What sort of scene?" Shizuma asked warily.  
Kaname gave a leering grin. "The fight scene between Don Jose and his superior, of course. We both have the right costumes. Why not give the students a taste of what they want?"  
Shizuma started to say no, but Kaname sneered at Nagisa, pulling her sword out slightly so the blade reflected light into her eyes. She shielded her eyes, darting behind Shizuma for protection.  
That one act sparked Shizuma's anger again, and she replied, "Why not?"  
The students nearest them all stopped cold, and turned to stare at them both.  
"Everyone," Kaname called out, "Please direct your attention to the stage. We have a special performance for you tonight."  
Shizuma and Kaname took opposite sides of the stage, drawing their swords as they went. Everyone in the crowd had gone deadly silent, watching the two direct their blades at each other, Shizuma grim, Kaname calculating. Then, Momomi cried, "Go!" and the duel began.  
Nagisa watched with bated breath. Tamao sidled up to her, and behind her hand asked Nagisa, "What are they doing?"  
"They're…um…practicing for the play, I think," Nagisa whispered back.  
Meanwhile, Kaname seemed to be getting the upper hand. Shizuma dodged, sidestepped, and darted out of her way, but Kaname's attacks were too swift. She gave a great swipe at Shizuma, who wasn't quite fast enough to avoid the swift slice of her sword.  
Scarlet blood began to leak from her cheek, and the whole crowd gasped. Nagisa suddenly understood, worry rising rapidly. Kaname's sword didn't shine because it was just polished – it was the real thing.  
This wasn't practice for a play. This was a real fight. And Shizuma, whose sword was metal but not truly real, was at a serious disadvantage.  
"Shizuma!" Nagisa cried out, but Shizuma only wiped her cheek against one wrist and continued fighting.  
She had moved on the offense. Loud clangs sounded from the contestants as they dueled, sweat permeating their skin. Shizuma landed a blow to Kaname's wrist, but she took no heed and thrust her sword directly at Shizuma, who dodged by a hairsbreadth.  
As the duel onstage grew more intense, Nagisa's nose filled with a suddenly sweet smell. The air around her grew cold, and she shivered. Suddenly, the whole crowd began to sway, and one by one, and then in increasing numbers, every girl collapsed to the floor, deeply asleep. Nagisa froze in fear as shadowy black wisps began to surround her. She felt dizzy, and her vision began to darken, just as Kaname threw her whole sword at Shizuma.  
"Shizuma! NO!"  
But the sword froze in midair a mere yard before Shizuma, creating a brilliant display of sparks, a sound like a grunt, and then a male voice shouted:  
"NOT TONIGHT, YOU EVIL BITCH!"  
Every girl who was still conscious stared in surprise as Michael came into focus, his face white and angry, eyes fully colored with the power of his tairen, the sword sticking grotesquely out of his left forearm. The sword itself had changed too; it was no longer steel, but turned black with barbs along the edge of the blade.  
'Damn!' he said, woven on their Spirit path, 'this isn't iron. It's Demon Steel! It's draining my magic!' He gritted his teeth, pulled out the sword, and flung it away. Blood poured from his wounds, but he wove quick Earth and Love to stem the flow and seal his wounds.  
Kaname, however, had a different objective. She turned to Nagisa and shot out her hand, Azrahn flowing from her fingertips. Nagisa gave a lurch of fright – her eyes had gone midnight black, filled with whirling, evil red sparks.  
" _NO!_ " Michael cried, and he flung out a five-fold weave to block her attack. The magic clashed, creating a rainbow of sparks that showered over the floor.  
'Nagisa! Shizuma!' Michael cried out, 'Wake the students and get them the hell outta here! _Now!_ '  
'But what about you?!' Nagisa replied.  
'Don't worry! I'll be fine! Just do it!' And though his face went even paler, he wove the commands in Spirit and implanted the weaves into their minds.  
Shizuma leapt off the stage, and she, Nagisa, Asuna and Sheena began waking the girls on the floor. As each one came back to consciousness, they sent her out of the room. They managed to drain half of the crowd when a loud BANG sounded from the stage.  
The duel had become a magic battle. Kaname and Momomi were fighting against Michael, eyes black with Azrahn, and his face was still pale. They flung ball after ball of blue-white magic at him, and though he dodged them easily, the balls would hit different parts of the room. Whatever they touched would vanish – not burn, just disappear. He was replying by throwing beams of light at those spheres, making the explosions that created so much volume but not daring to hit them with anything more but weaves of Air and Earth to try and make them stop. They avoided his weaves and continued their barrage.  
Many of the awoken girls were panicking, but Nagisa and the other three managed to force them out of the room. Finally, only Tamao, Yaya, Amane, Hikari, Chiyo and Tsubomi were left. Nagisa was feeling desperate – the fight onstage was beginning to go out of control, and almost a quarter of the ballroom was in ruins.  
"Tamao-chan! C'mon, wake up!"  
"N-Nagisa-chan? What's…?" Tamao looked up at the stage, and she screamed. "What's going on?!"  
"They're fighting. Come on, you need to go!"  
"But what about you?" Tamao asked.  
"I'll – _look out!_ " Nagisa shoved her aside and threw herself to the floor just as a shadowy black ball of Azrahn came their way. It collided with one of the voting booths, which exploded like a grenade.  
"Damn you!" Michael shouted out. A blaze of light appeared, and both Kaname and Momomi froze in place as a shining white blade materialized in his hand.  
"That's-! No, Michael, not that!" Sheena cried.  
Nagisa watched fearfully as Michael flung his blade behind him, his left hand in front of him as though he were about to throw something. Suddenly, the blade began to shine, brighter and brighter, giving off pulses of multicolored light that lit up the whole room.  
" _Michael, NO!_ " Asuna cried, but too late-  
" ** _AIN…SOPH…AUR!_** " Michael roared, swinging his sword in front of him.  
A ball of light appeared and grew in front of Michael, shining so brightly all the onlookers had to shield their eyes. It grew and grew, until finally it was almost as big as a hot air balloon. Screaming with rage, Michael sent the sphere of light at his opponents.

Sheena and Asuna accompanied the group back to the school. The blast of magic Michael had summoned wasn't as strong as it could have been, he assured them sometime later, but the force from the explosion still took out half of the ballroom, causing it to collapse in on itself. Kaname and Momomi, of course, managed to escape, as did the rest of them.  
After the battle, with his face set in stone and the Demon Steel removed from his flesh, Michael directed Nagisa and the others with cold, flat commands to weave Spirit and remove every memory of the battle from the people who saw or heard it, including the teachers and Head Mistress, as he repaired the damage to the ballroom. They obliged, removing the memories, and he replaced them with memories of the contest, choosing random people to win each category, and made the last one a tie between the old and new Etoiles.  
"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my whole life!" Yaya said shakily.  
Hikari, who was still clutching Amane's arm in a vice like grip, nodded fervently, tears still streaming down her face. Chiyo and Tsubomi looked almost as bad, while the rest looked severely shaken. Nagisa herself still felt feverish, her heart still pumping fast with adrenaline.  
"I can't believe it," Asuna whispered, "He swore he'd never use that technique again."  
"He said he wouldn't use it unless he absolutely had to," Sheena replied grimly, "Well, looks like he had to."  
Tamao wheeled around to look at them. "But what happened? We succumbed to that sleeping weave, so-."  
"It looks like Kaname and Momomi were trying to taint Nagisa with their darkness," Asuna said quietly.  
"What?" Shizuma said sharply. "Did they succeed?"  
Sheena shook her head. "Michael and we managed to divert their magic, but we weren't able to contain it completely. Maybe that's why he used one of his strongest attacks."  
Shizuma's sharp gaze faded, and she looked down. "I'm sorry, everyone. It's all my fault. Kaname challenged me, and I…"  
"It wasn't your fault, Shizuma," Nagisa said immediately, grasping her hand, "even if you hadn't fought her, they still would have gone through with their plans, whatever they were."  
"Nagisa-chan is right," Asuna added as Shizuma opened her mouth to argue, "Michael warned us that the Dark Lord's power might give them access to magic, even conscious command of it."  
"It wasn't your fault, Shizuma-onee-sama," Chiyo piped up quietly.  
Shizuma closed her mouth, remaining silent until they reached the well-lit entrance hall, and then said, "Thank you."  
'We'll split up again,' Sheena wove through Spirit, 'Same groups as before.'

When they reached Nagisa and Tamao's room, Shizuma laid her hand on Nagisa's shoulder. "Tamao-san," she said, "Would it be alright with you if I borrowed Nagisa for the night?"  
Tamao looked anxiously at Nagisa, who gave a tiny nod. She sighed, and said in a defeated voice, "Of course, Shizuma-senpai."  
"Thank you." The pressure on Nagisa's shoulder grew, and Shizuma steered her around. In a few minutes, they reached Shizuma's room.  
Shizuma pulled her hand from Nagisa's shoulders, closed the door, and turned to her. "Nagisa," she began, taking off her belt and setting it aside, "I must apologize to you. For tonight."  
"Why?" Nagisa asked, surprised.  
"Because what happened tonight was my fault," she said somberly. Shizuma walked forward and grasped Nagisa's hands in both of her own. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt," she said, her eyes glistening. "I only meant to protect you-."  
"Shizuma…" Nagisa freed her hands, and hugged her soulmate. "I meant it before. None of what happened tonight was your fault. You said it yourself that you were just trying to protect me." She drew back to meet Shizuma's gaze. "Even those moments with Remon-chan and the other girls weren't really your fault."  
"But-."  
"Ssh," Nagisa said, quelling Shizuma's argument with a finger. "You're not to blame for tonight. Not in any way. Don't even let the thought cross your mind – you're as innocent tonight as the others for what happened." She held Shizuma's face, letting her sincerity flow through the touch. Tears leaked from Shizuma's eyes, and she nodded.  
Their bond came back to life, singing a new song as a second thread joined the first, slender yet strong, assurance and courage coursing through it. That courage filled both of them, and Nagisa kissed Shizuma.  
The moment their lips touched, all thought and emotions from that night vanished, replaced by a familiar, burning passion.  
'Will you cheer up? For my sake?' Nagisa said softly through their bond.  
'Yes,' Shizuma whispered back.  
Their kiss deepened, passion blossoming to need, and then to desire. Shizuma quickly took off her outer garments with a weave of Earth, and they fell on the bed, embraced.  
Lavender Spirit surrounded Shizuma's hands, and Nagisa gave a quiet gasp as her hands, both real and Spirit, began to stroke her body. One hand found the button on the back of her dress, and undid it while another helped Nagisa take off both parts. The cloth removed itself without protest, and revealed her bare body to Shizuma.  
'You are lovely, Nagisa,' Shizuma said for the second time that night. Spirit hands worked their magic on one breast while her mouth closed around the other, teasing the sensitive nipple to an aching point. Nagisa groaned, her back arching to fill Shizuma's touch, her skin hot like fire, her sex already swollen with need. A faint, musky sweetness filled the air, and Nagisa began to whimper as sensation continued to build in her body. 'Shizuma!'  
'Not yet…' She released her mouth, and with both body and Spirit began to trace her body with nibbling kisses, while her hands still worked their magic on her breasts. "You taste good. Fresh and sweet…'  
Her touch found its way down her body, and Nagisa felt her tongue give a leisurely lick, followed by a finger dart. She gasped and nearly leapt off the bed. 'Shizuma!'  
'Not yet…' she replied wickedly. She continued her teasing, while Spirit hands and mouths made trails of fire across her skin.  
'Shizuma!' Nagisa screamed her name again as her orgasm ripped through her, her body arching to give Shizuma more flesh to touch, to tease.  
Shizuma finished her teasing, and laid her body over Nagisa. Her mouth dove to claim hers while she rubbed sensuously against her, breasts pressed together pleasurably, while her hand still massaged Nagisa's groin.  
'Do you feel good, Nagisa?' Shizuma asked gently.  
'Yes!' Nagisa cried out in her mind.  
'Then share your pleasure, and lets both feel good,' Shizuma whispered. She slid one leg across hers, and pressed both of their secret caverns to each other's thighs. She began to move, slowly, building the fire. Nagisa moaned against her mouth, and her arms clutched at Shizuma's back, drawing her closer. One leg came up, and Shizuma took her instinctive invite; she pressed her groin against Nagisa's and rubbed them together. Sensation build quickly, like wildfire, inside each other, and they moved faster.  
'Now,' Shizuma said.  
'Shizuma!' Nagisa cried as their orgasms, felt by each other through their bond, detonated in their bodies. Both girls arched, gasping, as pleasure coursed through them like electricity, their bodies still pressed together, their bond threads lit up like stars.  
And as they fell asleep, in each other's arms, Nagisa made a tiny prayer to the heavens, asking for the time they needed, and to make Shizuma strong enough to fight the soul hunger.


	6. SS SP EXTRA

"Aahhh, Shizuma! Cut it out!" Nagisa laughed. She and Shizuma were by the lake, sharing some time together. Or rather, teasing each other with the one magic branch they figured out by themselves: Spirit.  
Shizuma smiled, unrelenting. "You're very cute when you laugh," she teased, eyes twinkling with good-natured amusement as she released another soft thread of Spirit. The lavender thread flowed around Nagisa, and then brushed lightly against the small of her back.  
Nagisa jumped. "Aiyyaah! That tickled!" She fell back-first onto the ground, breathless with laughter.  
She heard Shizuma get close, and then she was there, doubled over to gaze at her. The smile on her face softened somewhat, and her eyes also faded, from humor to love. Her soul crystal began to sparkle with blue light as she let her love flow over Nagisa. Knowing what was coming, and seeing Shizuma's face get closer, Nagisa closed her eyes and readied herself for a kiss.  
"Having fun?"  
The happy, satisfied voice - definitely not Shizuma's - snapped Nagisa's eyes back open. Shocked, she rose quickly to look around for the source of the voice. Too quickly.  
And bumped her forehead hard against Shizuma's.  
"Ouch!" Shizuma rose, one hand on her head.  
"I'm sorry! Are you okay, Shizuma?" Nagisa asked, also holding her head.  
"Yes, I'm -"  
But her response was cut off by a brief peal of laughter. Both girls turned in unison to see Michael place one hand against a tree as he tried to calm himself.  
"I'm sorry," he gasped, "But I didn't mean to startle you that badly."  
Nagisa stood and brushed herself off, blushing, but then felt a brief flash of irritation from Shizuma. She looked up to see her love scowling. "Next time, please announce your presence in some other fashion, Michael-san."  
"I will, I promise." Having regained his composure, he folded his arms and leaned against the tree, still smiling. "It's actually excellent that you two already know how to weave Spirit. But I still think it necessary to teach you how to wield the rest of your magic."  
He began to look around. After a moment or two, his eyes and hands glowed with lavender Spirit. The glow became more pronounced, and suddenly they were encased in a gigantic lavender dome, stretching from the opposite bank of the lake to the distant trees on their right.  
"There. This will both conceal us and keep people from getting too close." He tied off the last thread with a wave of his hand. "It'll also give me a chance to show you something."  
"What do you mean?" Nagisa asked.  
"I'm not saying. It's a surprise for later."  
It was Nagisa's turn to scowl.  
"Now, now," he said, "No need for that look." He lost some of his humor, his smile fading to a grim, stoic expression, though his eyes still glinted mischievously. "Anyway, as I told you in my letter, I believe your bond is powerful enough for you to use magic. As of late, I have a strong suspicion that you not only have a command of magic, but a master's strength in all seven branches: Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Mena, a.k.a. Spirit, Love, and Azrahn."  
Nagisa frowned. "Azz-ran?"  
He smiled again. "Azrahn, short for Azreisenahn, is the most powerful and most dangerous of the three Mystics, and of the seven magics. It is the soul magic, the Unmaker, the power that can control and maipulate souls. It's not an evil power, but it is definitely a difficult and seductive magic to use, even in skilled hands."  
A worried look flashed across Nagisa's face. "Sounds kind of scary..."  
"Indeed," he nodded, "But I won't be teaching you Azrahn yet. I first need to teach you how to recognize the essence of the weaves."  
He spread his arms wide, gazing around. "Magic exists in everything, in all of us. It is all seven branches of magic combined. Even the very earth we stand on has magic.  
"Even this tree," he turned to the tree, and placed his palm against it, "has magic."  
"That tree?"  
"Yes. Because it possesses magic, and I myself have magic, I can ask it to share its life force with me. Watch." He closed his eyes. Nagisa couldn't tell if he was using magic, but all of the tree's branches seemed to bend towards him. The other trees continued to sway in the gentle winds.  
"You're not just making it do that?"  
He shook his head, withdrawing his palm. The tree's branches slowly moved back into place. "I asked the tree to share some of its life force with me, and I can share my own with it. Here, why don't you try?"  
He stepped back. "You first, Shizuma-san."  
"All right." Shizuma approached the tree and laid her palm flat against it.  
"Good. Now, close your eyes," Michael said gently, "And take a deep breath. Try to block out your physical senses..."  
Shizuma breathed as he instructed, her face calm, almost detached. Nagisa couldn't help but noticed how beautiful she seemed at this moment, tranquil and at peace.  
"Do you see the tree?"  
"Yes." Shizuma spoke as though she was in a trance.  
"Now ask the tree to share it's essence. Imagine it gathering to your hand...slowly flowing into your arm..."  
Nagisa gave a soft but audible gasp; the tree was bending its branches near her, just like when Michael did it.  
"Now, withdraw your hand, slowly..." He smiled as Shizuma gently pulled her hand away, and the tree's branches returned to normal. "Well done, Shizuma! Very well done! You're a natural!"  
"Thank you, Michael-sama."  
He shook his head. "No need to call me that. I may be teaching you magic, but only as a friend." He turned to Nagisa. "Your turn, Nagisa. You ready?"  
"Yeah!" Nagisa darted to the tree and laid her palm against it.  
Michael stifled a laugh. "Exuberence is fine, Nagisa, but for this exercise, you want to be as calm as possible. Now, close your eyes..."  
She obliged, closing her eyes as she took a deep, calming breath.  
Slowly, her crystal grew warm. As she blocked out her senses, rainbow lights bloomed on her eyelids. It was as if she could see the world, but everything was a brilliant rainbow mix of colors. She turned her head to see Shizuma, a beautiful mix of color, with a small, globe-like ball of violet tinted blue light sitting on her neck.  
Michael, standing beside her, wasn't just a body shaped rainbow. His magic - his power - was shining so brightly that Nagisa had to turn back to the tree to shield her eyes.  
'Do not be alarmed, Nagisa.'  
She gave a tiny jump of surprise. 'You can speak in my mind?'  
'Yes. Both of us - and Shizuma as well - possess Spirit. With Spirit, we can manipulate our senses, and even transfer thoughts and sensory illusions. Now, do you see the tree?'  
'Yes.' She felt she knew what was coming, but waited patiently for his instruction.  
'Now, ask the tree to share its life force. Let its power gather to your fingertips...entering into your arm...'  
She imagined it gather to her hand, and flow into her fingertips. The tree's essence rushed into her arm, a bolt of power that felt a bit like an electric shock. Started, she gave a yell and yanked her arm back.  
Loud cracks began to sound above her, and she looked up to see the tree's branches fall towards her. She instinctively threw up her arms to protect herself.  
But the branches never hit her.  
She opened one eye, and saw both Shizuma and Michael protecting her, she hovering above her, he casting a small dome of Air.  
Together, they looked at the tree. All of the tree's branches and leaves had fallen off, leaving a stinted shaft of wood portruding vertically out of the ground.  
Michael looked back at Nagisa, conspicuously trying to hold in even more laughter. "I think we need to teach you moderation," he said in a choked voice.  
"S-sorry," Nagisa apologized.  
Michael shook his head again. "Don't apologize, it can be fixed. Watch!" Immediately, he called on his power. Flowing weaves of Air picked up the branches and leaves, and carried them to their original places on the tree. Earth weaves followed, fusing the bits together until the tree was whole, and Water and Love weaves brought the tree back to life, until it was completely restored.  
Nagisa whispered a heartfelt apology, not touching it again lest she feel it shaking like a frightened kitten. Shizuma grasped her hand, smiling.  
"Hm, that'll do it." Michael ran a critical eye at the tree, then turned back to the couple. "We'll leave our lesson here for today. Now, for your surprise..." he turned.  
Nagisa's eyes lit back up, and she asked enthusiastically, "Oh, yeah! What is it?!"  
"Wait right here..." And with that, he began running. Jogging at first, and then with increasing speed until he was sprinting. He launched into the sky with a visible blast of Air, and morphed into a rainbow tinted gray mist.  
The mist expanded, and began to take shape. As it solidified, a huge creature began to form, vicious claws from large paws unsheathed and extended. Huge, batlike wings filled the air, beating powerfully, and a large, feline head opened its mouth on a roar, lethal fangs visible for an instant before a cloud of flame exploded from the beast's muzzle.  
Nagisa and Shizuma watched, completely stunned and paralyzed with fright, as the great, winged cat turned gracefully around and landed in front of them. The cat pinned them both with a beautiful, whirling brown gaze, glowing with power. The fur was a smooth jet black, like Michael's hair, and the wings folded back along the beast's body.  
'Do not be scared.' Michael's Spirit voice rang in both of them. 'I will not harm you.'  
"This is the surprise?"  
'Yes. This is where some of my power comes from. I can transform into a mythical creature called a tairen; I am a Tairen Soul.'


End file.
